The Great Marvel Comics Read-Through: Intro

I’m a huge Marvel fan. Everyone who knows me knows that fact. I’ve always loved superheroes, both DC and Marvel, since I was a little kid, and the success and quality of the Marvel Cinematic Universe only increased this love, especially for Marvel as a whole. I mean not just the movies and shows, but the comics too. I always followed news-worthy comic book stories and had a familiarity with the comic book stories and personalities of major characters, but I knew very little about the Marvel comics universe as a whole. I started reading Marvel comics weekly in 2015. Every Wednesday since, I have read new issues of the characters, teams, and titles that I follow. I’ve gone back and read older arcs, some classics, and some just because I liked the character(s), but I’ve definitely mostly read 2010s and 2000s comics. With the modern Marvel universe having existed since 1961, I’m clearly lacking in reading its history. I know most of the major moments and story arcs, and I have become extremely familiar with many characters and details of old, but this has simply come from research and references in newer comics.

I’ve always wanted to read more older Marvel comics, but it’s a time consuming hobby and I’ve never delved too far into the many decades worth of comics that are out there. Well, this year has given me a lot of free time and since that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon, I’ve decided to go for it: I am going to read through Marvel comics history and blog about it here. No, I will not be reading every issue or every series. I will focus on the major characters, teams, and events, and read the most important issues and arcs; the ones that are memorable, for one reason or another. I guess that means I will focus on first appearances, game-changing moments, and the best (and worst) Marvel has to offer, but I’m not following a strict set of rules, meaning that things can change as I go on this journey.

One thing I want to say is that I am not adhering to any schedule, as it is going to be a long and time consuming task, and I will also be keeping up with the weekly releases on Wednesdays, and I do not want to force myself into a situation where I disappoint any potential readers or myself, but I will still try to post as regularly as possible.

I have done research in preparation to find reading guides for the Marvel universe. Based on this research I have chosen to stick mainly to Marvel’s main universe, the 616 contunity. Maybe I’ll dabble in some other continuities or lines afterwards but for now I will be sticking to the main universe (sadly this means no Ultimate Universe). I also do not have any specific set of comics that I will be reading, so suggestions are more than welcome.

I look forward to this adventure and I hope than anyone who follows along enjoys it as much as I do!